£1m turnover for fledgling agency

SERVING as a warrant officer with the Coldstream Guards in Bosnia, the Gulf and Northern Ireland is not the usual career path taken by recruitment professionals — but Geoff Warren is no ordinary recruit to the industry.

His Woking-based company Broadland Rail, set up in April last year, achieved more than £1 million in turnover in the first six monthsand already has an enviable client list that includes Siemens, Penauille Servisair and Balfour Beatty. Broadland Rail in York Road comprises five shareholders in its management team, each one committed to delivering the core elements of the business. Mr Warren said: “Everyone here has a different set of skills the business needs and works on different core elements of the business, whether it’s business development, account management or delivery and safety. “Between us, though, we have more than 70 years of recruitment experience.” Broadland Rail is becoming the recruiter of choice for the rail industry, supplying permanent and temporary staff both trackside and in the back office. But it is interest from other industries, including aviation and manufacturing, that is helping to fuel the company’s rapid growth. Broadland currently supplies baggage handlers, check-in staff and cargo operatives for a number of the UK’s airports, including Gatwick. Meeting with Alan Jordan, of Woking accountants Menzies, at the end of 2005 provided Geoff with the opportunity to address issues about the setting up his own company. Mr Jordan said: “We could see the potential of what Geoff was offering but it was important to ensure that Geoff’s aims and objectives were included within the business plan. “We suggested changes to the draft plan that we felt would best explain to possible funders the unique points that Broadland has to offer. We advised on the aspects that we felt made Broadland attractive to financiers.”